Post driving apparatus



May 8, 1951 E. L. NoTEs'rElN Pos'r DRIVING APPARATUS 2 snags-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1947 INVENTORv Eo/so/y L. /VoeE//v ATTORNEY May 8, i951 E. l.. NoTEsTElN 2,551,396

POST DRIVING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 22, 1947 2 sheetsheet 2 BY a :D4

ATTORNEY .and driven by .the power:takeoif thereof.

Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED iS T ATE'S PATEN T @PF1-.CE

POST 'FDRIVING APPARATUS Edison LowelLNotestein, Sarasota, F1a.

Application October 22, 1947, Serial N o. 781,386

(Cl. v254--.29)

V8 Claims. -1

This invention 4relates to post drivers fand: more particularly Vto a `type that may be `operated by .thezpower take-oil of4 extractor.

iBroadly the `invention comprehends a lfence post driver adapted :to be attached to a tractor The invention 'further comprehends .a :simple and lef- 'vcient 'fence post driver and/or extractor adapted to be supportedon the hitch of a conventional tractor fand so connected to the tractor and Vits lposi-tion with relation "thereto may `be .varied to compensate ifor variationsiin the lay ofthe land in which the posts are vto-'be driven or 'removed therefrom.

An objectvof the inve'ntionis to provide -a simple and inexpensive post driver and/or extractor that may beeasily .and quickly attached to a conventional tractor and connected `to the power take-ofi thereof'and will when-properly Ainstalled eiiiciently perform its intended functions.

Another object of thefinvention is to provide fa post driving and extracting apparatus having'but fewcomponent parts which may be produced at lowV cost and easily and quickly assembled.

Other objects and advantages -of'theinvention will appear from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specic'ation,and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of :a tractor illustrating the inventionY as applied;

Fig. .i12 is-ia top /plan-view -of an'axle andwheel assembly and a conventional hitchfsupportingathe post driver-.and-extractor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of guide and driving head, and

`Fig.4is sectional viewfsubstantially on line Referring `to -the drawings for more speci-liefde- `tails-of the invention I 0 indicates-ia tractor which may be of any-preferred type having a conventional hitch I2 and a power take-oit I4, controlled ,as by alever I 6.

A 'universal joint I8, suitably secured to the hitch l2 supports a column 20 preferably of tubular stock so as to lighten the weight thereof. The universal joint so supports the column that it may be tilted in any direction so as to compensate for variation in the lay of the ground in which the post is to be set, and adjustable supports 22 secured to the upper or free end of the column and to anges 24 on the rear axle of the tractor serve to retain the column in adjusted position.

The lower and upper ends of the column 20 are slotted and sheaves 26 and 28 suitably supported for rotationin the slot lhave mounted thereon.'fertravelfan endless cable ,A driving lhead YI2 `mounted for travel on the column';2il.is adapted to be secured to the cable 30 .las by c1ampsr3t and :36 and is balanced by a yspring l'38 :having one-.end secured -to the head 32 and the kother yen d'secured ,to a bracket 4D supported onthe column.

The head includes spaced `plates 42 having mounted therebetween twopairs of rol1ers44 and Iii sofspaced withfrelation to oneanother both as to pairs and :as'to theindividual rollersthat they Fembrace the column 20 Vso as to support :the head 32`for travel.

The cable 3-0 has thereon a lug 48 for the reception-oran arm 50 adjustably supported `on a lever 52 pivoted ron the rear axle of the tractor and connected as by `a link 54 to a crank 56 on vthe power itake-off vshaft I4, and the plates 42 of the head have secured therebetween as by :boltsfil 'a block58 having Va slot 69 for the reception-ofa=post,zand in'bottom of the slot is an -adjusta-blesupport l(i2 serving to vary the depth of Ytheslot vso as to laccommodate yposts of vari- -ousw-idths.

A ratchet 64 suitably supported'on one side 'fof "the slot, and a plurality yof Acalins 66 having serrated'faces,.:mounted on the other'side of the slotinspacedand oppositely disposed relation to -theratchet G4p-serve to :grip the post, and a door x63 adaptedrlto 'close over :the slot serves to hold V`.the zpost against displacement. As shown, the cams 6.6 have arms -lt connected vas'by 'a rod 12, and a hand lever 'I4 for control of a latch vlli for the. door E168 has'avlateral arm Vfl .pivoted tothe -rod'f12 ,forisimultaneously latching the `door and fen'gaging ther'cams 6.5 zwiththepost.

The :block 1".58 .has a dependent :shoeor :ram A80 #for packing :or ramming .the earth around Athe ;fpost:a`fter itfhasbeendriven in theearth tothe f desired. depth.

.Inma normal operation `the apparatus Vis -ad-K justed to set the column 20 at the desired inclination. This may be eiected by proper adjusting the supports 22. The post is then slipped into the slot in the driving head 32 and the door 68 closed. The lever 12 is then thrown to lock the door and simultaneously with this operation the cams 66 are rotated to grip the post between the ratchet 54 'and the cams.

The clamp 36 is adjusted to secure the head 32 to the cable 30 and the lever I6 is then thrown to apply power to the take-01T shaft I4, and the applied power is transmitted therefrom through the crank 56 and link 54 to the lever 52 resulting in swinging the lever upwardly. During this movement of the lever 52, the arm 50 thereon engages the lug 48 on the cable 30 exerting a pull on the cable resulting in downward travel of the head 32 on the column 20 and this downward travel of the head forces the post in the ground, and upon forcing the pest into the ground to a predetermined depth, the ram 80 strikes the earth with suiicient force to eectively pack the earth around the post.

When it is desired to draw a post from the ground the driving head 32 is turned on the column 20 so that the post may be received in the slot 60, the door 68 is then closed and the lever 14 thrown so as to reverse the position oi the cams 65 for engagement with the post, the clamp 34 is then tightened so as to secure the cable 3i) to head 32 and the clamp 34 loosened. Under this condition when force is applied from the shaft I4 through the crank 55 and the link 54 to the lever 52, the arm 5G thereon engages the lug 48 and exerts a pull on the cable and this results in raising the head 32 carrying with it the post.

While this invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments, the principle involved is susceptible of numerous other applications that will readily occur to persons skilled in the art.

Having thus described the various features of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A post driving apparatus comprising a xed support, a column thereon, means for changingand retaining the angular relationship of the column to the support, a head slidable on the column, means on the head for clutching a post and means for applying power to the head.

2. A post driving apparatus comprising a fixed support, a column pivotally attached thereto, means for adjusting and retaining the angular relationship of the column to the support, a head slidable on the support, a reversable clutch for a post carried by the head, and means for applying force to the head for upward or downward movement thereof.

3. A post driving apparatus comprising a xed support, a column pivotally attached thereto, adjustable tie rods for regulating the angular relation of the column to the support, a head movable on the column, a reversable clutch for a post carried by the head, and means for applying power to the head for movement thereof on the column.

4. In a post driving apparatus, a driving head having a slot for the reception of a post, an adjustable support in the slot operative to vary the depth of the slot to accommodate posts of different size, a ratchet at one side of the slot, a plurality of cams at the other side of the slot, and means for actuating the cams in unison for gripping the post between the ratchet and the cams.

5. In a post driving apparatus, a driving head having a slot for the reception of a post, means supporting the head for movement, a ratchet at one side of the slot, a plurality of cams at the other side of the slot cooperating with the ratchet to eflectually clutch the post, a door adapted to close over the slot below the ratchet and cams determining the position of the post in the slot, and linkage for latching the door and simultaneously actuating the cams so as to grip the post between the cams and the ratchet.

6. In a post driving apparatus a fixed support, a column mounted thereon, a sheave mounted at the base and at the top of the column, an endless cable mounted for travel on the sheaves, a driving head mounted for travel on the column, means for adjusting the angular relation of the column to the support, means for attaching the head to the cable, a clutch for a post carried by the head, and means for applying force to the cable for raising and lowering the head.

7. In combination with a tractor having a hitch and a power take-off, a column mounted on the hitch, adjustable tie rods connected between the top of the column and the tractor for adjusting the angular position of the column to the clutch, a sheave mounted at the base and at the top of the column, an endless cable mounted for travel on the sheaves, a driving head mounted for travel on the column, means for attaching the head to the cable, a clutch carried by the head, and linkage connected to the power takeol for applying force to the cable.

8. In combination with a tractor having a hitch, and a power` take-off, a post driving apparatus including column pivotally supported on the hitch, adjustable tie rods connecting the column to the tractor to change the angular relationship of the column to the hitch, a sheave mounted at the base and at the top of the column, an endless cable mounted for travel on the sheaves, a driving head mounted for travel cn the column, means for securing the head to the cable, means carried by the head for the reception of a post including means fol` gripping the post, and linkage connecting the cable to the power take-off for moving the head.

EDISON LOWELL NOTESTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 7,348 Canan Oct. 10, 1876 976,600 Rhodes Nov. 22, 1910 2,244,899 Smith June 10, 1941 2,424,115 Powell July 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 501,554 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1939 

